The Friendship That Saved My Golden Years

I met Margaret at a senior center bingo night three years ago. I had recently moved to a new city to be closer to my daughter but she worked long hours and I hardly ever saw her. I was lonely and frustrated wondering if I had made a terrible mistake by leaving my old neighborhood where I had lived for thirty years.

Margaret sat next to me and immediately started chatting. She had a warm laugh and a way of making everyone around her feel welcome. By the end of the evening we had exchanged phone numbers. She called me the next morning to invite me to her weekly knitting circle. I had never knitted before but she promised to teach me.

Over the following months Margaret introduced me to her entire network of friends. We went to art exhibitions attended concerts in the park and hosted potluck dinners where everyone brought their specialty dish. Through her I discovered a community of vibrant interesting people who welcomed me without hesitation. My social calendar became fuller than it had been in decades.

Last year Margaret helped me through a difficult knee replacement surgery. She drove me to appointments brought me homemade soup and kept my spirits up when I felt discouraged. I do not know how I would have managed without her. We are now planning a trip to Europe together next spring. At seventy-eight I am making the best friend of my life.